When Diego Lopez, Head of Cyber Security at IT Total, took the stage Circular Tech Forum 2026 The message was clear: cyber threats are not something abstract or distant that affects others. They are here now, and they affect everyone, from critical infrastructure such as energy, healthcare and finance, to individual companies of all sizes.
Diego painted a picture of a fundamentally changed threat landscape. Digitalization has long driven innovation and efficiency, but it has also created a huge attack surface. And in 2026, AI has seriously changed the playing field. Not just for defenders, but just as much for attackers.
The participants at Circular Tech Forum gained concrete insights into how attackers work, where organizations are failing and what actually makes a difference.
1. The question is not if you will be exposed – but when
Digitalization has created a huge attack surface. Every connected device, integration, and cloud service is a potential entry point. It's important to act on that reality, not hope to escape.
2. Regulations don't protect you
Threat actors don't care about legislation, and their pace of development is faster than that of regulators. Compliance is no substitute for active security work.
3. Patch faster – most attacks exploit known vulnerabilities
A large portion of today's attacks are not based on advanced zero-days, but on vulnerabilities that have been known for months or years. One of the most important defenses is simple: keep systems updated and close the doors attackers are already knocking on.
4. Understand how attackers think
Attackers follow a pattern: reconnaissance → intrusion → dissemination → control → impact. It's a chain, and chains can be broken. If you know the workflow, you can stop the attack early, before the damage is done.
5. AI augments, but does not replace, humans
AI is a game changer on both the offensive and defensive sides. For defenders, it can identify anomalies and relieve the burden on security teams. But AI lacks the context and operational understanding that a human has. It is in the interaction between the two that true security emerges.
6. Time is your biggest enemy, and you have less of it than you think
It takes organizations months on average to detect a breach. An attacker can encrypt an entire network in minutes. Invest in the ability to discover quickly, not just prevention.
Diego's tips to take home to your own business: Cybersecurity is a strategic management issue – not an IT issue. The right combination of technology, processes and people builds the resilience required. Don't wait.
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